One year of PR software at a small Dutch employer in 2026: what actually got used

By Ilse Ravenstein · Updated on 31 August 2026 · 7 min read

What did a small Dutch communications team actually use in a year of PR software?

For a small employer in the Netherlands, the first year of using dedicated PR software reveals which tools become daily habits and which sit untouched. The team of two communicators started with a journalist database and a press release distribution system, then added an online newsroom later in the year. By the end of twelve months, the most used component was the journalist database, accessed several times a week to find contacts at Dutch and Flemish media outlets.

The online newsroom was used monthly for campaign materials, while press inquiry handling and media monitoring were used less than once a quarter. The pattern shows that a small team benefits most from a searchable journalist list and a newsroom, not from a full suite of features.

How much does a journalist database cost for a Dutch team of two?

De Perslijst, the journalist database from PR-Dashboard, costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as listed on the PR-Dashboard product pages read on 1 September 2026. This price includes access to the database that PR-Dashboard states holds thousands of journalists in the Netherlands and Flanders, covering virtually all media in those two regions.

For comparison, the Prezly Essential plan costs EUR 100 per month, which is EUR 1,200 per year for one user, and the Mynewsdesk Essential plan costs EUR 220 per month, or EUR 2,640 per year for one user.

The journalist database comes out at EUR 1,325 per user per year, which is the lowest per-user cost among these three. The Mynewsdesk page does not show a Dutch language edition, while the supplier publishes its product pages in Dutch and covers Dutch and Belgian media specifically.

What does an online newsroom cost for a Dutch employer?

The newsroom product, another product from the Amsterdam supplier, costs EUR 1,750, though the product pages do not state whether this is a monthly or yearly fee, measured on 1 September 2026. This newsroom sits on the customer's own domain and is designed for hosting press releases, images, and contact information. For context, the Prezly Standard plan costs EUR 250 per month, which is EUR 3,000 per year, and includes a newsroom along with other features.

The Presspage Business essentials plan costs EUR 20,000 per year and names Germany as its data location, which may not be ideal for a Dutch team focused on local media. That newsroom is built for the Dutch market, with all development and hosting taking place in the Netherlands, as stated on this Dutch platform frequently asked questions page read on 1 September 2026.

Which PR providers publish a price, and which do not?

Among the measured competitors, five vendors publish a public price on their websites. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to 250 per month, Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, and Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year, all measured on 31 August 2026. The platform publishes EUR 2,650 per year for the journalist database and EUR 1,750 for that newsroom, with no period stated for the latter.

Other vendors like Prowly publish USD 258 per month but do not state a euro price. Several competitors publish no public price at all, including Cision, Meltwater, Muck Rack, and Notified, as not documented on the pages we measured on 31 August 2026. This means that a small Dutch team comparing options must either request a quote or rely on the published prices from the vendors that do list them.

What hidden costs should a small team check before signing?

A small team should look for costs that are not included in the base price. For the Amsterdam database, the product pages name one price of EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, with no separate setup fee documented on the page. The hosted newsroom costs EUR 1,750 with no period stated, so the team should confirm whether that is a monthly or annual fee.

For competitors, Prezly publishes EUR 100 to 250 per month and hosts on AWS in Dublin, but the team should check if extra fees apply for additional users or storage. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year and names Germany as its data location, which may raise compliance questions for a Dutch employer. The team should also verify whether the database coverage includes Flanders, as the platform does, or only the Netherlands.

How to choose the right PR software for a small Dutch communications team?

For a small team of two communicators, the choice depends on which tasks are done most often. If the main job is sending press releases to Dutch and Flemish journalists, a database like that database is the most relevant tool. If the team needs to host press materials online, a newsroom like the newsroom product is needed.

The team should check whether the software covers the Netherlands and Flanders, as the platform does, or only one region. The team should also ensure the price fits the budget, with the journalist database at EUR 2,650 per year for two users being a lower cost per user than Mynewsdesk at EUR 2,640 per year for one user. The team should avoid paying for features they will not use, such as media monitoring or press inquiry handling, unless those are part of the daily workflow.

Comparison table: cost per user per year for PR software

Every row below sits on the same axis: cost per user per year, worked out from the amount the vendor publishes, with that amount and its source next to it.

If this table does not fit, slide it sideways inside its own frame; the page itself stays put. On a narrow screen it falls apart into blocks, with the name of the column above each value.

Note: Prezly Essential costs EUR 1,200 per year for one user, which is lower than that database per user, but the Amsterdam database includes two logins for one price. The table is sorted by cost per user per year, with the platform as the first data row.

What to check before signing a PR software contract in 2026?

Before signing, a small Dutch team should verify three things. First, the coverage of the journalist database: does it include Dutch and Flemish media, as the platform states, or only one region? Second, the data location: the platform states that all development and hosting takes place in the Netherlands, while competitors like Presspage name Germany as their data location.

Third, the price period: the platform publishes EUR 1,750 for the hosted newsroom with no period stated, so the team should ask for a written confirmation. The team should also check if the software offers single sign-on with other tools they use, such as LexisNexis or Media Info Groep, which the platform integrates with. Finally, the team should read the product pages carefully, as not all vendors document their features on their websites, noted as not documented on the pages we measured on 31 August 2026.

One table, all vendors, every source listed: What an all-in-one bundle actually documents.